Currently Reading: TIME Magazine, July 25, 2005. No.29. & A Gentle Thunder by Max Lucado

It’s 2:04pm. It’s deadly quiet in the office today. Jim keeps walking out to get a glass of water and commented that it was like a tomb in the back office because everyone was out to lunch. It’s one of those “definitely Friday” days because it seems like everyone who’s walked past reception desk feels ridiculously exhausted and keeps answering to my “How’s your day going” queries with, “Dreadful”, “Exhausting”, and “Terrible!”

I’ve just finished a well-written chapter by Max Lucado. It’s a bold and powerful statement he makes, and I thought I’d sit and ponder about it… because it fits in well with the thoughts in my head at the moment.

I bumped into Caroline on the train the other day and spoke about her work in Canberra and was explaining to her the work I do – going into high schools and running workshops, the youth work, the voluntary (and expensive**) retreats, the national leaders conferences, mission visits... It’s a satisfying life, but simply exhausting sometimes. I often wonder about and pray for the people who are committed to their full-time work and their service. It’s a miracle that their bodies don’t collapse from the copious workloads and tremendous lack of sleep.

My mum always comments on whether or not I believe I’m superwoman. I guarantee her that I’m not, and tell her that being a full-time employee, full-time student, part-time youth worker and voluntary HPV all mean nothing compared the responsibilities that come with being a full-time daughter of God.

I’ve grown up in the era where the likes of Walt Disney, Roald Dahl and C.S. Lewis shaped my ideals. Right now we live in an era where the children growing up with the likes of Harry Potter, MTV and mega-supermarkets like Westpoint shaping their values... not to mention they grow up surrounded by the fear of ‘terror’ – and there seems very little acknowledgement of the need to stand up for one’s ideals… perhaps there’s even been a loss of idealism itself. A large part of me thinks it has been replaced with blind apathy.

After the London bombings on July 7, followed by the second wave just last night, some people pointed the blame at anything and everything that could possibly justify why anyone would commit suicide and bring hundreds to their suffering. Blame it marginalisation, unwarranted retaliation, or lack of communication… or if you want simple and naive excuse, blame the roots of martyrdom – religion.

And you know what? There is startling evidence that backs up each excuse – people have argued for years that the Koran contains texts that justify the punishment of those who defy God. Oxford students will tell you that marginalisation, real or perceived, diminishes self-esteem and will lead anyone of any religion to despairing suicide. And who wouldn’t want to retaliate after the American’s left boot-prints and bloodstains all over Arab soil?

The combination of naivety, anger, patriotism and strong-felt beliefs has unfortunately left this generation with far too many losses – loss of life, loss of family, loss of faith, loss of trust, and loss of compassion.

What saddens me the most, though, is our startling loss of conviction. People are afraid now to stand up for their beliefs, for fear of being proved too radical. It’s a sad reality but it’s the people who choose to stand up with a social conscious that are often shot down.

Though entirely wrong in terms of their actions and irresponsible repercussions, there is something still admirable in the heart of a person who is willing to die in order to show people what they believe in.
I think, though, that the challenge today is not whether or not you would give up your life for the sake of your faith, but rather… if you would choose to live it.

I don’t do my work because I want to change people. I never can and never will change anybody. That’s not in my power, and it’s simply not my job. I don’t do my work because I want to convert them either. Even the strongest of all Catholics have made their fair share of mistakes – none of which can be judged to be better or worse than the next religious leader.

No… I do my work because I want to live what I believe in.

I think it’s an absolute tragedy that the only time most of the world will choose to open their eyes and perhaps open their hearts is when an act of terror is committed. I’m not surprised that people are setting off bombs because it seems like the only time people will stop whinging about their lives and think about other people apart from themselves is when they see other people suffering. Especially when the people are close to their homes or close to their hearts.

It would do a lot for people to realise… that we are making people suffering every time we choose to sit passively instead of taking an active stand. For every time we are angry instead of forgiving. For every time we do something for our own selfish interests, instead of our selfless love. For every time we decide to take the easy way out, instead of choosing to stick out through the difficult times.

He filled the world with food, but we blame him for the hunger. He keeps the earth from tilting or the arctic from thawing, but we think he doesn’t care. He gives us blue skies and we demand rain. He gives us rain and we demand blue skies. We blame him for the suffering, but we haven’t done anything to ease it ourselves.

Instead we get on the train in the morning with death on our faces. We get angry at the customer service operator for not understanding our problem. We belittle the check-out server who’s been standing there for five hours as if we were better than her (or him!). We spend hours at work earning money, but spend only minutes with our children earning their trust. We read the newspaper on the train about the lives of people who are on the other side of the world, but refuse to smile at the person on the other side of the carriage.

We ask – why can’t this world be at peace?!

I ask you – what are you doing about it? Aren’t you part of this world too?